La Belle et la Bête
by anothercarly
Summary: Tale as old as time, but it is not the classic rhyme. This classic tale had come from somewhere, hadn't it? But it is not a prince inside a beast, but a beast inside a prince. And it is not love, it is loyalty.
1. Chapter 1

"Elijah."

"Belle."

"I've arrived just in time, haven't I?" The smiled a bit, pulling the wooden pillar from Elijah.

"Of course we both know I could have done it on my own."

"But what's the fun in that when you have me to help you, Dearest Elijah? Isn't this the reason we are such good friends?"

"Remember, Belle, you are also in my debt."

"I have never forgotten. As if I could. But you are not a bad person to serve." She smiles, brushing the blood of of Elijah's suit. "This will need to be dry cleaned. But it's been eight hundred years, Elijah. It is obvious that we have grown as people and friends."

"Yes, I do agree. I believe that even if you weren't in my debt you would still help me."

"Of course I would. Now what's next on this quest?"

* * *

"What are we doing here, Elijah? You know I love street performers but I highly doubt that this is for recreation."

"This cafe is a very popular destination in the area. The window panes allow for vampires to be in the sun, but no UV light goes through. There's my _friend_ Slater. He's having a chat with Damon Salvatore and Rose, you remember her of course, and I highly doubt that this is just a friendly visit."

"What does Slater know?"

"Everything they need." He sighed as he pulled out a one hundred dollar bill and dropped it into the guitar case. He returned his hand full of coins.

"And what are they talking about?"

"The Petrovas."

"And what are we going to do about it?"

"We're going to say hello."

Elijah threw the coins into the window with all strength, causing them to shatter. Rose and Slater, who did not have daylight rings, began to burn. The Salvatore boy threw himself over rose and Slater ran.

Elijah and I looked at each other as he released a hollow grin.

* * *

"I can break the spell."

"You can?"

"All I need is a moonstone and a witch. I know how to break it."

"Yeah. Okay. We can do that! You can break it?"

"Yes."

And then he hung up.

"It's done. How did you compel me anyway? I'm a vampire."

"I'm. . . special." He said, looking at me. I knew what was going to happen, and I didn't approve. But my approval doesn't matter. "Now I want you to take this wooden stake and stab yourself in the heart."

And he did.

We turned around to find Jonas Martin, the witch Elijah had been working with.

"Was it really necessary to kill him?"

It wasn't any of his concern. He didn't understand. Elijah just gave him a cold look and we left the apartment.

* * *

I was lounging in Elijah's current apartment, one that he had compelled and served as a home base for whatever missions and endeavors her had planned.

"I just don't understand, Elijah. Are you trying to break the curse or not?"

"I am trying to prevent Niklaus from breaking the curse, at any cost. I love my brother, family is crucial to me, but he has become unstoppable, and with this curse things will only get worse."

"So what's your plan?"

"Elena needs to draw attention to herself, it will draw Niklaus out. Then I will kill him, and the curse will be no more."

"And what about your witches?"

"They're training the Bennet girl, of course."

"This plan makes very little sense to me, Elijah. You are making it very easy for the curse to be broken in order to draw Klaus out so that you can kill him ,but does that not make it very easy for him to break the curse if we do not succeed? You said it yourself; he is unstoppable. He is stronger than you and I and even Katerina together."

"I know you do not understand, my Belle, but you must trust me."

"I always do." She nods.

"Now, we must go to my witch's house. We must find Elena."

The master and his apprentice arrived at the witch's house. Elijah sat down with Jonas while Luca the teenage witch and I sat in the background. We seemed like equals, or equivalents. Both following the one they are loyal to with absolute admiration, yet sometimes questioning decisions. He did not tell me this himself, but I was able to infer it through his body language.

The spell was completed when Elijah's eyes shot open. "We must leave. Now." He told me. "Elena is trying to turn herself over to Klaus, thinking that it would save her. We must go."

We got into Elijah's car and he sped at about one hundred and ten miles an hour to Slater's apartment. When we reached the place, Elijah silently flashed in and killed two of the vampires before I even saw what was happening. One of them foolishly tried to catch him from behind, this I realized, and I managed to appear in front of him, reaching out my hand as he ran directly into it. I ripped his heart out, tossing it to the side. And then we disappeared.

When we arrived back at the witch's, he questioned why Elijah kept Damon alive.

"Isn't it obvious?" I replied for Elijah.

"Elena needs to stay alive." Elijah said. "Those brothers would die to keep her alive."

* * *

**_Meanwhile at the Salvatore Boarding_ House**

"And who was that girl with him?"

"That's his apprentice. She's been with him longer than I remember." Rose replied.

"So are they sex buddies are what?" Damon asked sarcastically.

"Nothing like that. More like brother and sister, if anything. As much as I know she owes him her life and swore it away long ago. She's old, older than Katerina even. Turned by Elijah himself; trained by him too. If you spot Elijah, chances are she's only a few steps behind."


	2. Chapter 2

"I want you to do some work for me."

"Of course, Elijah." I answered. "What is it?"

"Go have a drink."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The Mystic Grille is Mystic Fall's favorite venue. Go have a drink."

"You want me to spy for you, don't you?"

"I know how charming you are, Belle. Don't let me down."

"You're using your magic words again, Elijah. Your sire words. You've been using them for years."

He smiled, admitting nothing. "Go. Be a social butterfly. I just want a bit of insight."

I smiled softly and gave him the look. He returned it.

It was time to have some fun.

* * *

I had forgotten the fun of being a show off just for the fun of it. The top was down. Music was blaring. People were watching. I was enjoying it.

I pulled the black Camaro into the parking spot closest to the door and pressed the button for the top to go up. I sauntered into the Grille and right up to the bar. It was a Friday night at about seven, so it was pretty busy. Perfect. It was exactly what Elijah wanted.

"And what can I get for you tonight?"

"I would absolutely love a vodka sprite." I replied with a bit of a sarcastic beg.

"And I would absolutely love to get that for you. Can I see some ID?"

I looked into his eyes. "You don't really need to see that, do you? Don't you trust me?"

Being stuck at twenty, and always on the run, did have it's downfalls. But I was the master of compulsion. It seemed like a suggestion, rather than the blunt and over exaggerated demand that the rest of the crass vampire world used.

"Thanks, love." I replied, stressing me slight accent from years in England.

"What's a pretty puppet doing in a place like this?"

"Having a drink." I replied with a smile, motioning my drink up. "Not the human kind. The fun kind."

"I'll have a fun kind too. Bourbon!" He called. "It's a bit risky hanging out in such an open place when answers are wanted, isn't it?"

"I knew I had you pegged for a bourbon drinker. And I'm much stronger than I look, Damon. Nothing is risky for me."

"You're Elijah's apprentice, I presume? What are you drinking?"

"Vodka Sprite. And I go by Belle, no need with the titles."

"Vodka Sprite. Not a bad drink. Feminine enough, but not overly so. Well then, Belle, what are you and your mentor doing in Mystic Falls and what do you want with Elena?"

"I've always been a fan of wine, but only the pretentious drink that at a bar. That's why I drink this. And I don't want anything with Elena. Elijah is the one with the diabolical fan, and what little of it I know I do not agree with and I cannot tell you. But, sire bond and lifetime of debt and all."

"I agree. Those who drink wine at a bar are heartbroken housewives-"

"Sounds like your favorite demographic." I interrupted with a smile.

"Only sometimes, but as I was saying, why would you not agree with his plan?"

"Oh, I shouldn't reveal too much. Wouldn't want to jeopardize it all. The logistics don't make sense to me, but I am not in a place to call Elijah wrong. He's much older and smarter than I, and calling him out would be foolish of me. Don't worry, nobody wants to hurt Elena. We did save your lives, after all."

"On that not, care to explain?"

"We couldn't very well have Elena handing herself over to young, foolish, reckless, selfish vampires, now could we? Those guys, they weren't exactly friends of ours. We have our own interests."

"Hm." He pondered.

"Can I have another drink, hon?" I called to the bartender, swishing the ice around my empty glass.

"Me too!" Damon called. "How strong are your drinks? You wouldn't want to have to drive home drunk." He mocked.

I smiled. "I've got a high tolerance, don't you worry."

"I like you, Belle. You've got spunk." He told me sarcastically.

"I like you, Damon. And that's good. Because I'm not the sort of person you want as an enemy. Play your cards right and maybe one day we'll be allies." I tossed my head back and took a swig of my drink. "So, you know why I'm trying to protect Elena, now why are _you_ trying to protect her?"

"Oh, you know. Little brother's girlfriend, it's sort of an obligation."

"Now, you don't expect me to believe that, do you?" I saw it in his eyes, it was much more than that.

"She's my friend. I care about her."

"You love her, don't you?"

"Of course not."

I looked up at him and raised my eyebrow. "Damon, in my many years I have learned to read people. I've seen how you interact with her. You love her. And so does your brother and that kills you. And it kills you that history is repeating yourself."

"What's the point of this?"

"Just trying to get in your head, Damon. Elena's nothing like Katerina though, is she?"

"No, she's not. She's kind, too kind actually. She'll sacrifice herself on a moment's notice. And she's caring. Katherine is evil and selfish and horrid."

"I'd always loathed Katerina." I groaned. "Even as a human she was intolerable. She had a face of innocence and a heart of selfishness. And I've seen her a few times throughout the years, never for long, as she's terrified of myself and my ties to Klaus, but she never changes. Of course, her playing with Elijah's heart doesn't help her be in my graces either."

"Well won't you look at us. Bonding over the shared hatred of one person."

"And may we talk about how she always manages to escape death?"

"One of her many talents." Damon laughed. He then glanced down at his cell phone. "Well then, Belle, it has been lovely drinking with you, but it's time for me to go."

"Another time then." I raised my glass to him.


End file.
